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Boys try to carjack, rob woman with gun

Suspects only 7 and 11 years old

Police arrested two boys who tried to carjack a truck with a gun in Southeast Portland on Saturday.

The boys are 7 and 11 years old. They were both placed in the custody of their parents because they are too young to be jailed, even in a juvenile facility.

According to police, at 12:15 p.m. on Dec. 8, East Precinct officers responded to 16000 Southeast Alder Street on the report of an 11-year-old boy seeing another 11-year-old boy with a loaded handgun. When the officers arrived in the area, they contacted two boys, ages 7 and 11. As the officers approached, the 11-year-old told the 7-year-old to run. They were both were stopped on the South side of the Freedom Foursquare Church, however.

The officers told the 11-year-old to keep his hands out of his pockets, but he ignored the officers and tried putting his hand back in his pocket. Officers grabbed his arms and recovered a cocked and loaded .22 caliber handgun in his pocket.

The 11-year-old was not handcuffed but was placed into the back of a police car and the 7-year-old sat down on the ground.

The officers were then flagged down by a woman, Ami Garrett, 22, of Southeast Portland. Garrett told the officers that she had been sitting in her truck when the two boys approached her vehicle in the Freedom Foursquare Church parking lot. Garrett said the boys tried to carjack her as she waited for her parents, who were in the church.

Garrett told officers that the 7-year-old told the 11-year-old to "show her your piece." The the 11-year-old lifted his shirt and showed her a gun. The woman told police that she refused to give them the truck.

The boys then demanded her phone and money, telling her that they couldn't leave without something. They threatened to shoot her if she didn't give them something.

Garrett again refused to give them anything and she drove away, calling 9-1-1. As she drove away, she saw the 11-year-old pull the gun from his pocket.

Robbery detectives were briefed by officers at the scene. Due to their ages, they were both placed into the custody of their families because they cannot be taken to the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Home. After dropping the 11-year-old at his parents house, he took off running from police. He was quickly caught again and left in the custody of his parents.

According to police, all reports will be given to the Juvenile Court for follow-up and detectives will continue to investigate how the 11-year-old boy was able to obtain a firearm.